Chair



Dec. 15, 1931. F. J. BUFFINGTON CHAIR Filed May 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet lSvweutoz FLOYD J. BUFFI NGTUN Gum MW [8 Y Dec. 15, 1931 I I F. J.BUFFINGTON 1,836,103

CHAIR Filed May 3, 1927 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I FLOYD J. BUFFINGTON 8311 Hfitter/14M? occupying in Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PA EN I Application filed. May 3,1927. semi No. 188,432.

This invention relates to chairs'and'more particularly to knock-downchairs Whose parts are maintainable'ina cooperative relationwhether'thje' chair be in useful occu ant position or in a knocked owncondition. p I Among'the objects of my invention is't'o producea' chairin which all of the parts will remainin a cooperative relation whetherthechair be assembled for ready use or Whether the chair be folded andplaced away; Another object is to produce a chair of the characterdescribed which will comprise a few'number of parts'and will not requirespe- 151 ci'al knowledge-for its maintenance or use.

Other objects and usesof'theinvention' will appear from a detaileddescription of the same, which consists in thefeatures of constructionand combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

' Inth'e drawings-: 1

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a chair embodying-the principles of myinvention.

F ig.-2 is a si-declevation of'the chair illus trated in Fig. 1 whenin'aknock-down'condition."

Fig. 3 is aview taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the. chair illustrated Fig: 5 is a d'etailofconstruction illustrating the contacting-relation between the upwardlyextending portions of the legs-f the chair ,shown in Fig- 1;

Fig. 6'is a detail illustrating convenient manipulative. means formaintaining the front and rearlegs in cooperative relation.

Fig- 7 isa section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig.8 illustrates a modifiedform of con- "struction simulating that form shown. in Fig. 0 I

5 but with the: rear 'leg'straight.

' .In itssimplest form the chair has three relatively movable parts eachof which bear a direct relation to other of the parts after the partshave been onceput together. These three main parts comprise a main frameincluding a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs, and aseat pivotallyconnected to each of the other parts. I

The frontlegs 10, 10 are fastened together by-a backrest-'11, the entirearrangement aptl'y constituting a main frame. While the; backrest l'l'isillustrated as separable from the legs it is to be understood that thescrews 12," or other equivalent connecting means, suifice to maintainrigidly the two legs 10', 10 inaspaced relation. 'However, to insurerigidity of the main frame I provide a brace member 13 connecting thetwo legs 10,10 together at a point below the seat 14' but out of theclear space adjacent the lower portions 1 I of the legs. "This bracememberj13, when placed close to the'under surface ofthe seat asillustrated in Fig. 1, can be made to assist in the support of the seatas well as to limit counter-clockwise (Fig. 1) pivotal movement of theseat relative to the main frame'. v

The connection of the seat with the main frame is a pivotal connectionwhich consists of brackets 15, 15' secured to the seat, one adjacenteach leg. Each of thesebrackets is of angular configuration with theupstanding'fl'ange having a bearing hole for'accornmodating a bearingscrew or pin 16 extending from the inner surface; of a: front leg 10. 1The bearing'pi-ns 16 extending from each 7-5 of the front legs serve todefine a'pivotal I axis about'which the seat'is capable of being pivotedfrom the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated inFig; 2' when the chair-is in condition for or storing, and vice versa. a

F astened to the seat in a line 'rearwardly of the pivotal axis for thefront-pair ofrlegs is a pair'of brackets 17,17 whichalso have bearingsfor engaging bearing pins'18, 18 in line" with each other, one extendingfrom each ofl'the rear legs19,-19-. The bearing pins 18-, 18 permitrelative ivotal move-. ment between the rear pair 0 legs and the seatwhen the chair is not in an;-occupant T occupying position. 1 1

The-two legs 19, 19 are to be braced inrespect to each other. so. as tomaintain their spaced relation constant and rigid. For this purpose abrace member 20a may be utilized95 shipment so i trated in tively,

the pivotal axis 18-18. Brace member 20a as well as brace member 13 maybe made out of plywood, metal or other suitable material.

Considering one side of the chair, front leg 10 and rear leg 19 are inangular position in respect to each other and leg 19 is rearward of leg10 throughout its length. Both of the legs 10, 19 extend abovetheseatand' are illus- Figs. 1 and 2 as having their upwardly extendingportions, 20 and 21 respecper ends of each of the upwardly extendingportions 21 are designed so as to engage or standard 20 of the mainframe whenthe chair is assembled inoccupant occupying position,

Fig. 1. One simple manner of attaining these ends is well illustrated inFig. 5 in whichit maybe seen that the end surface 22 abuts against afrom the standard 20 of the main frame. By this construction, any upwardthrust transmitted along the rear legs and any downward thrust of thefront legs as 'wellas any natural horizontal force exerted uponitheback-rest isadequately braced. Because of thedesign of the chair thisis'true whether or -not any supplemental fastening means is utilized formaintaining each two upwardly extendingcontac-ting members 20, 21 inclose relation. The chair could not collapse even though no fasteningmeans were provided. However, a'chair of this kind is likely to beassembled. indefinitely and for ready use so fastening means such asscrews 24: may be provided and these 'wouldcontribute to the rigidity ofa chair and'especially ofone of light construction.-

9 As illustrated in Figs. 6 and 'Z; I have shown how readilymanipulative meansmay be resorted to so as to render the chairserviceable as a folding chair for those'who desire one which can beplaced occasionally out of the wayas'in a closet. When such manipulativemeans are employed the relation' of'the upstanding portion 21 of rearleg 19 and standard 20 need not be changed for. as explained above. theexisting relation suffices to maintain the chair in useful occupyingcondition. A dowel pin 25 imbedded in one or the other of the twomembers extends'within a hole26 in the other member so engaging thedowel pin as toprevent dis- 7 placement-of thetwo members lateral to thepin (Fig. 7). A finger operable spring catch '27 may be provided for thepurpose of keeping the sides of the two upstanding members in closerelation while the chair is being handled in transfering it from placeto place. Other variations and changes in forms of the various partswhich are embodied in my disclosure are contemplated. For example,

' either one or both of the upstanding exten- 7 extending narrowed andslightly bent. The up shoulder or a ledgesurface 23 cut sions of thelegs could be straight. A practical example of an embodiment of thisidea is illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein the upwardly portion 28 of therear leg is straight and intersects the upwardlyextending portion 29 ofthe front leg at a point somewhat below the back-rest 30. The up wardlyextending portion. of the front leg is slotted to engage the back-restand at the point of j ointure of the two leg members. chair constructedaccording to this idea would possess the qualities herein before setforth in the more detailed explanation.

otherwise be brought into afixed relation in respect to thecorresponding portions or brace member'being disposed rearwardly of thehinge line of pivot between the seat and. I

the pair 'of legs to which said brace member is secured and in suchrelation as to. limit downward movement of the rear edge of the seat,and means for preventing relative movement of the seat and both pair oflegs upon-their hinge connections when the chair is in occupantoccupying position.

2. In combination, a chair comprising, a

pair of front legs connected by a back rest and a brace member, a pairof rear legs connected by a'brace member, the upper extremities of saidpair of rear. legs abutting against shoulders out from the upperportions of the front pair'of legs, means to malntain the upperextremities of said .pair of rear legs in contacting relation with theupper portions of the front pair of legs, {and a rigid body seat memberadapted to'overlie the brace members of the front andrearpairs i oflegs, said rigid body seat member having means aflixed thereto forsupporting the rigid body seat member in pivotal relation to the pairsof legs. v i

' 3. In combination, a foldable chair comprising, apair of frontlegmembersandia back-rest connecting the same, a-pairof rear legmembers, each rear leg memberbeing to the rear of a corresponding frontleg m e r nber and in the same plane therewith, a seat between each pairof front and rear leg memhere, means for detachably' maintainingcorresponding front and rear leg members assoclated with each other whenthe chair is in occupant holding position, and pivotal means connectingthe seat with each of the legs, said means comprising two pairs of hingesupporting brackets extending away from the lower surface of the seat,the hinge pivots carried by the pair of brackets connecting the seat andthe rear legs extending further away from the seat than the hinge pivotsof the pair of brackets connecting the seat and the front legs, whereby,in folded position, the

pair of front leg members, the pair of rear leg members and the seat liein three planes with the plane of the front leg members intermediate theplane of the rear leg member 5 and the plane of the seat.

In testimony whereof I hereto aifix my signature.

FLOYD J. BUFFINGTON.

